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The Nintendo Revolution Is Dead Long Live The Nintendo Wii

The Nintendo Revolution – it could have been a catchy name for the company’s newest console.

It would have been very appropriate as well, given Nintendo’s new philosophy of changing how the game is played.  For this generation of consoles, Nintendo has abandoned the conventional belief that good graphics and excellent game play will sell gaming systems.  Instead, Nintendo has adopted the policy that, for the gaming industry to move forward, games and gaming systems must be able to get non-gamers into gaming.

This means a change in the way that games are designed.  Games should be powered by gaming systems that are friendly for entry-level enthusiasts.  Do away with the multiple buttons of controllers.  Make the player’s own action control the events in the game.  Make the player himself as the controller.

This change in philosophy is truly a revolution.  A Nintendo revolution.

Sadly, what was initially dubbed as the Nintendo Revolution settled on a new, more marketable name: the Nintendo Wii.  Wii, of course, is a play on the word “we.”  It is also a figurative symbolism, as “Wii” is spelt with two letter “i’s” that look like two people standing together.  Nintendo has said that the Nintendo Wii is named as such to send the message that the console is a video game system that will allow people to get together and gather around the enjoyable experience it can provide.

But is the Nintendo Wii a better name than the Nintendo Revolution?

Given the fact that the Nintendo Wii has sold almost 8 million units at the end of 2008, and that the console has sold more units than the Sony PS3 and the Microsoft Xbox 360 combined, then the answer would point to an obvious “yes.”  The marketing approach reaped amazing dividends, and the results have justified the name change.

Some industry experts will also argue that if the console retained its name of Nintendo Revolution, the same would be a misnomer.  Indeed, the motion-sensing functionality, care of the Nintendo WiiMote, is truly revolutionary, but the other features of the previously named Nintendo Revolution have nothing to do with technical revolutions.  The console is the same hardware as the Nintendo Gamecube, the company’s flagship system for the previous generation of video game machines.  Unlike the PS3 and the Xbox 360 which quadrupled their processing and rendering powers, the previously labeled Nintendo Revolution didn’t change its technical makeup.  It’s still the same machine, basically speaking.

So truly, that the console previously tagged as the Nintendo Revolution was finally named as the Nintendo Wii is a marketing case study that students will peruse in the decades to come.  It’s a tactic that worked, and a tactic that should provide some essential lessons in product packaging and advertising.

Discount Wii Console – 5 Ways To Get A Discount Wii Console

Planning to buy a Nintendo Wii?  Believe it or not, many people are excited to get their hands on this generation’s runaway leader in the current console wars.  However, most of them would rather wait for the right opportunity when a discount Wii console would be presented before them.  The $249.99 SRP, as of this writing, isn’t what we can call as “cheap,” after all, especially in the present economic climate.

Are you one of these people who are on the lookout for discount Wii consoles? Here are 5 ways that will allow you to enjoy fantastic savings when purchasing a Nintendo Wii.

1.  Buy second hand. The easiest way to get a discount Wii console is by looking for people who want to sell their used consoles.  There are many places where you can find such sellers.

Auction sites like eBay and Yahoo! Auctions are excellent destinations.  The classified ads section of your local dailies is another.  Buy and sell forums can be fertile sources of potential sellers as well.  Online classifieds like GumTree and Craigslist host hundreds of ads selling second hand discount Wii consoles.

The goal is to find a good deal, and a good deal means:
a) a used Wii that is still in good condition (take into consideration the length of ownership, the frequency of usage, and the environment where the system was used);
b) a great price (50 % to 70% off would be an excellent tradeoff for the market devaluation of the used console)

2. Wait for sales. Online and offline establishments often conduct sales every quarter, as well as holiday sales for most occasions.  You can wait for these sales and pray that a discount Wii console will also be offered during such events.

3. Look for rebate offers. Some establishments don’t conduct sales per se. Rather, they provide gimmick offers.  One of these gimmick offers will help you save some cash, albeit in reverse.  It’s called a rebate.  For discount Wii consoles, the most common rebate offer is a coupon for $50. This means that you’ll buy the system for the normal price, and you will be given a rebate coupon you can exchange for actual cash or for something from the store which is of equivalent value.

4. Search for “Trade In” offers. Yet some establishments offer discount Wii consoles in a rather unconventional way, one which may even be supported by Nintendo.  These establishments require you to hand over your current console.  Each type of console has a corresponding value which will be subtracted from the selling price of the Nintendo Wii system you want to have.

5. Wait for the eventual price drop. It will come in time.  Perhaps not this year, though.  However, if market forces conspire to force Nintendo’s hand to lower the selling price of their flagship product, then you’ll be able to enjoy a substantial discount Wii, for real.

Nintendo Wii Console and The Top 5 Games For The System

What Is The Future Of The Nintendo Wii Console 5 Games That Can Make Or Break The System In 2009

To say that the Nintendo Wii video game console dominated the sales charts for almost 3 years now would be an understatement.  The fact is, the Nintendo Wii console owned all the other video game systems in the market.  The Wii has sold more units than the Playstation 3 and the Xbox 360 combined. Sellouts during peak seasons are common news with regards to the Nintendo Wii console.

But how long will the Wii’s dominance last?

Already, some quarters are complaining about the limitations of the Nintendo Wii console.  The system offered something new to the gaming public with the motion sensing technology, but now, its novelty is wearing off and people or coming back to the proven formula for great consoles: amazing graphics and fantastic game play.  At best, compared with the other systems, the Nintendo Wii console can only provide fantastic game play.

Indeed, the Microsoft and Sony’s game machines have narrowed down the gap in recent months. How much does the Wii have in its gas tank to stave off its hotly pursuing competitors?

The fate of the Nintendo Wii console for 2009 hinges on the success of the 5 games listed below:

1. Punchout. One of the most beloved games in the history of Nintendo is making a grand comeback.  This title will tell us how loyal the Nintendo fan base really is, and how strong it remains as a sales factor for this year and beyond.

2. Wii Sports Resort. The first Wii Sports is bundled with the Nintendo Wii console.  The sequel will be bundled with the new Wiimote powered by MotionPlus technology.  This is said to provide the accuracy in motion sensing which was quite lacking with the first incarnation of the Wiimote.  The MotionPlus is an add-on that can be attached to the original controller.  And with the lineup of dog Frisbee throwing and catching, jet skiing, and kendo stick fighting added to Wii Sports Resort, the Wiimote will need all the accuracy it can muster.

3. Red Steel 2. The first Red Steel was a big disappointment, which is quite telling considering that it was a launch title for the Nintendo Wii console.  Unresponsive controls exposed deficiencies of the Wiimote and the Wii’s motion sensing technology.  With this sequel, UbiSoft is hoping that Nintendo’s new MotionPlus technology will help the company deliver the game it was meant to deliver in the first title of series.

4. Sin & Punishment 2. Treasure, the game company that is responsible for the best shooter/platformer hybrids in video game history, is developing a sequel to the Japan-only original.  The actions sequences in this game are simply awesome.  It has all the makings of a hit.  And if it doesn’t success on the Nintendo Wii console, then it is a sign that the game system is already on a decline.

5. Rockband: Beatles. Probably the biggest game for casuals (people who don’t usually play video games) is coming to the Nintendo Wii console as well as the other next generation video game systems.  The comparative sales charts for this title would tell us if the Nintendo Wii still has a solid hold on casual gamers.